Before 2011, no coach in the history of the Sun Belt Conference had moved directly from the SBC to an automatic-qualifying position. This has now happened three times in the past two years; better yet, two of the three moves have seen a Sun Belt coach leap directly to the SEC – the league on the opposite end of college football's coaching spectrum.

Here's the best part: Both SEC coaches, Hugh Freeze and Gus Malzahn, came from the same place. So long, Boise State. Later, Houston. Not you, NIU. Arkansas State, tucked away in Jonesboro, Ark., has become the newest hot spot for next-step coaches looking for a huge leap up the ladder.

Bryan Harsin is next. Harsin comes to ASU from Texas, where he spent the past two seasons as Mack Brown's offensive coordinator. Before Texas, Harsin spent a decade under Dan Hawkins and Chris Petersen at Boise State. If history is any indication, Harsin will win nine or more games and a conference title with the Red Wolves before making the leap. Well, let's play it safe: Let's give Harsin two years.

It's an interesting question: Would Arkansas State be the Sun Belt favorite had Freeze returned for another season? Maybe, but I don't think that this team is going to take a major step back merely due to the coaching change. If the Red Wolves do drop from first in the league to third, it'll have far more to do with a very questionable defense than any alterations in scheme. So I think ASU steps back from last season's success, likely winning seven games in the regular season but finishing behind FIU and Louisiana-Lafayette in the final standings.

2012 RECAP

— In a nutshell: A new year, a new coach, the same result. As in 2011, when the Red Wolves flourished under Mississippi coach Hugh Freeze, ASU won another SBC title under Gus Malzahn, the former Auburn coordinator quickly turned Auburn coach. It all seemed so familiar: ASU won another conference crown, reached another GoDaddy.com Bowl, won another 10 games, notched another eight-game winning streak and shattered another round of offensive records. The lone difference – and we're picking hairs – is ASU lost a league game in 2012, though that didn't impact the final standings. The year began with a question: Would ASU trade continued success if it meant Malzahn would make a quick exit? I think the Red Wolves are happy with their decision.

— High point: A 50-27 win against Louisiana-Lafayette on Oct. 23. This was when a somewhat sluggish bunch finally kicked into high gear. ASU would score at least 37 points in each of its last five games, ending the regular season with a 45-0 whitewashing of Middle Tennessee State to ensure the SBC title.

— Low point: The lone conference loss, a 26-13 decision to Western Kentucky on Sept. 29, followed non-conference setbacks to Oregon and Nebraska. The Red Wolves were 2-3 after the first month; they wouldn't lose again.

— Tidbit: ASU is the only current or former Sun Belt team – the league was formed in 2001 – to win more than nine games in back-to-back seasons on the FBS level. Louisiana-Lafayette comes close: ULL has won nine games under coach Mark Hudspeth in each of the past two years. Troy also had a nice run, winning at least eight games in each year from 2006-10. Middle Tennessee State (10-3 in 2009) is the only other SBC team to win 10 or more games on the FBS level.

— Tidbit (coaching change edition): ASU is on its fourth head coach in as many years. Think Harsin can commiserate? Well, yeah. As a quarterback at Boise State from 1995-99, Harsin played under four different coaches: Pokey Allen in 1995, Allen and Tom Mason in 1996, Houston Nutt in 1997 and Dirk Koetter in 1998 and 1999.

— Tidbit (yardage edition): Arkansas State has gained at least 300 yards of total offense in 35 of its last 38 games, a period dating back to Freeze's hiring as the Red Wolves' offensive coordinator in 2010. The lone exceptions are a 2011 loss to Virginia Tech (269 yards), last September's loss at Nebraska (286 yards) and January's bowl win over Kent State (285 yards).

— Bryan Harsin (Boise State '00), entering his first season. Harsin spent the past two seasons at Texas and the previous decade at Boise State, working closely with first Chris Petersen and then Mack Brown, two of the top coaches of this generation. As a Boise State assistant, Harsin moved from tight ends to coordinator, a position he held during his last five seasons with the program. In all, Harsin brings seven years of bright-lights coordinator experience to Jonesboro. There was a time when hiring a coach of Harsin's pedigree seemed well out of ASU's league; times have changed.

One day under Petersen is worth a month anywhere else. Harsin spent five seasons as Petersen's coordinator, soaking up football knowledge and expertise like a sponge, and then took his gifts to Texas, where he remade Brown's offense into a physical, run-based unit. During his decade in Boise (2001-10), Harsin helped lead the Broncos to a 114-16 record with two undefeated seasons (2006 and 2009) and two BCS bowl victories – against Oklahoma in 2006, most famously, and TCU in 2009. Boise compiled an overall record of 61-5 with Harsin as coordinator.

Texas marked a change: No longer working hand-in-hand with Petersen, Harsin was given the task of remaking UT's offense. While the Longhorns never quite broke through – a 17-9 mark from 2011-12 – Harsin did succeed in changing the tenor and mentality of UT's attack. His first offense, in 2011, averaged 28.1 points and 189.8 passing yards per game. Last fall, UT averaged 35.7 points and 260.0 passing yards per game, finishing in the top 50 nationally in scoring, passing, rushing and total offense. Harsin's legacy at UT is the work he put in changing the team's style while tutoring its talented skill players, with quarterback David Ash his prize pupil. Like Freeze and Malzahn before him, Harsin arrives at ASU with an offensive-first mindset and almost perfect offensive credentials.

— Tidbit (coaching edition): Defensive coordinator John Thompson returns from Malzahn's staff, giving this defense a familiar voice and allowing Harsin to devote himself to the Red Wolves' offense. So does Eliah Drinkwitz, who will share offensive coordinator duties with Bush Hamdan, a former Florida assistant. Everyone else is new: Brad Bedell will coach the offensive line, Kent Riddle the tight ends and Anthony Tucker the wide receivers; on defense, Thompson will be joined by defensive line coach Steve Caldwell, cornerbacks coach Julius Brown and safeties coach Blake Baker. Thompson will also handle ASU's linebackers, as he did a season ago. Hamdan, himself a former Boise State quarterback, will also coach the Red Wolves' quarterbacks – with some help from Harsin, of course.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

— Offense: Arkansas State has the Sun Belt's best offensive line and its best defensive line, so any suggestion that the league's reigning frontrunner is due for a significant decline under the new staff should be viewed with an enormous degree of skepticism. When it comes to the offense, any group headlined by this superb front, this level of returning talent in the backfield and this degree of speed at receiver should continue to rank among the SBC's best once it fully digests Harsin's system – and most of all, this offensive front will help ASU transition to a new starting quarterback. The line returns four starters from a year ago, including as many three seniors, hinging on how two positions shake out during fall camp.

But the line's best might be a sophomore: Bryce Giddins returns at center after starting 12 games as a rookie. The sure-first starters alongside Giddins are senior left tackle Aaron Williams and senior left guard Steven Haunga, another pair of projected all-conference picks. A third senior could join this pair if Cliff Mitchell fends off junior Alan Wright at right guard, though that's one of the more interesting position battles set to recommence in August. Over at right tackle, ASU will likely replace Zack McKnight, a first-team All-Sun Belt selection, with former Kansas transfer Travis Bodenstein. If not Bodenstein – he sat out last fall as a transfer – ASU could turn to sophomore Steven Stevens, JUCO transfer Brennan Tutor or one of two very promising redshirt freshmen, Jemar Clark and Michael Flint. I will hear no arguments to the contrary: ASU has the best offensive front in the Sun Belt.

This group blocks for one of the league's best running backs in senior David Oku (1,080 yards and 16 touchdowns), whose well-traveled and scrutinized college career took flight in Malzahn's offense. Oku's greatest asset has been his consistency – he averaged 87.0 yards per game and scored 12 times during conference play, adding another 20 receptions in the passing game. Western Kentucky's Antonio Andrews is a better pure running back, if that makes sense; Oku is the league's best all-around threat, however. ASU feels good enough about its young depth in the backfield to move a pair of returning contributors over to the defensive backfield. Look for sophomore Michael Gordon to step into the spotlight as ASU's backup running back, bringing even more explosiveness to an already potent running game.

The Red Wolves also house the league's leading returning receiver: J.D. McKissic (103 receptions for 1,022 yards), a sophomore, quickly stepped to the forefront as ASU's top target over the early stages of 2012. His return will help ASU smoothly transition away from last year's senior-heavy group, though the passing game's overall effectiveness still hinges on two key factors: one, the change at quarterback, and two, whether or not last season's holdovers are capable of moving up the two-deep and producing in starting roles. Seniors Julian Jones (13 for 394), Carlos McCants (8 for 168) and R.J. Fleming (9 for 113) give ASU some valuable experience, not to mention a dash of the big play – Jones scored seven times in 13 receptions as a junior. Even if this is your top four, ASU needs to see development from options like sophomores Tres Houston and Derek Keaton and redshirt freshman Warren Leaphart.

— Defense: This is also the best defensive line in the Sun Belt. This should come as no surprise: ASU has senior Ryan Carrethers (68 tackles, 3.5 for loss) at tackle, and any group built around Carrethers is going to be a handful – if not two handfuls, especially during conference play. Carrethers anchors the interior at an All-Sun Belt level, alongside senior Amos Draper (21 tackles, 8.0 for loss), which should open up countless opportunities for ends Chris Stone (36 tackles) and Eddie Porter (34 tackles, 5.5 for loss). Stone and Porter shared starts at end in 2012; with Tim Starson gone, ASU will promote both into full-time starting roles. The top reserve inside will be senior Dexter Blackmon, a very steady third option at both tackle spots. At end, ASU will call on seniors Darius Dunaway and John Gandy and JUCO transfer Jabari Mathieu.

The linebacker corps should take a slight step back while replacing two starters, one a first-team all-conference pick and the other an NFL draft pick, but returning a talent like junior Qushaun Lee (100 tackles) on the outside will help ASU weather the transition. Let's also keep this in mind: Thompson returns for his second season as coordinator, for one, but he also returns as ASU's linebackers coach. It'll be interesting to see if ASU moves Lee from the weak side to the middle, to replace Nathan Herrold, or if the Red Wolves opt to promote a new middle linebacker from within the roster. When Thompson does opt for a traditional three-linebacker formation, look for Lee to play on the weak side, speedy junior Kyle Coleman (25 tackles) on the strong side and either senior LaAngelo Albright or sophomore Brian Anderson in the middle. ASU also has the option of moving Porter to the strong side from end in certain packages.

More often than not, however, ASU's third linebacker – the de facto strong side linebacker – will be a quick, aggressive and dangerous fifth defensive back; this was the role Don Jones held fabulously as a senior. To fill Jones' shoes, the Red Wolves transitioned junior Frankie Jackson (315 yards) over from running back. Jackson is one of two converted running backs set to start in this secondary, which is a bit of a concern: ASU loves what Jackson and sophomore Rocky Hayes (538 yards) bring to the table athletically, but there will be some growing pains. My take? It's very hard for ASU to land defensive backs with this degree of athletic ability on the recruiting trail – so you can see why, given the team's depth at running back, Harsin and Thompson are more than happy to roll the dice with Jackson and Hayes. The latter, whom ASU views as a stopper at cornerback, will join juniors Artez Brown (24 tackles) and Andrew Tryon (38 tackles) on the outside. The Red Wolves also return junior Sterling Young (71 tackles, 2 interceptions) at free safety and sophomore Chris Humes at strong safety while adding six defensive backs from February's recruiting class.

— Special teams: The Red Wolves need to find improvement everywhere but kicker, where senior Brian Davis stands as one of the nation's best at his position. But ASU was a disappointment on punts and in the return game last fall, especially given the team's level of athleticism at the skill positions. Finding more explosiveness from returners like Hayes, Jackson, Gordon and Keaton is an absolute necessity during fall camp. Looking for an edge against Louisiana-Lafayette and the rest of the Sun Belt? Then take advantage of your speed in the return game and in coverage.

POSITION(S) TO WATCH

— Quarterback: There's really only one pressing concern for the Red Wolves as Harsin prepares for his debut: Who replaces Ryan Aplin, the best quarterback in school history? Consider that for all the coaching moves in the past three years, ASU's one constant was Aplin; he produced and produced despite the near-constant changeover, three times earning all-conference honors and setting every meaningful passing record in program history. The competition during the spring centered on a few holdovers without adequate game experience, like sophomore Fredi Knighten, sophomore Stephen Hogan, JUCO transfer Chandler Rogers and senior Phillip Butterfield – with Hogan taking a slight edge through mid-April. The competition changed on April 19: ASU inked former Utah State quarterback Adam Kennedy, an immediately eligible transfer with enough experience, talent and mobility to fit Harsin's offense like a glove. Kennedy played wonderfully for USU in 2011, replacing an injured Chuckie Keeton and leading the Aggies into the postseason for the first time in more than a decade, only to see his playing time cut dramatically last season. It's almost too good to be true: Kennedy wanted to play as a senior; ASU wanted immediate help at the position; ASU and Kennedy discussed a transfer; Kennedy transferred to ASU. I have little doubt that Harsin and this staff view Kennedy as the starter come August. All he needs to do is grasp this offense over the next few months, which might be easier said than done. But in terms of pure experience, Kennedy is far and away the Red Wolves' best option. I think he'll do well, even if the offense sputters at times during non-conference play.

GAME(S) TO WATCH

— Louisiana-Lafayette: There's bound to be some disagreement on the order, but I think most can agree on the top four teams in the SBC: ASU, ULL, ULM and Western Kentucky. (I think the first three are the leaders, though Petrino makes the Hilltoppers an intriguing pick.) The Red Wolves draw the Ragin' Cajuns at home, a huge break in the team's quest for a repeat. But ULM and WKU come on the road, with the Hilltoppers in the season finale, and it'd be very painful for ASU to head into late November ahead of ULL but lose out due to a road loss in Bowling Green. The non-conference slate again sends ASU on the road against two AQ teams, Auburn and Missouri.

SEASON BREAKDOWN & PREDICTION

— In a nutshell: Arkansas State remains a leader in the Sun Belt and an easy pick for eight or more wins despite yet another coaching change. While the constant turnover along the sidelines is a concern, I think the Red Wolves have enough returning talent and experience to again weather the storm; remember that this is nothing new to the juniors and seniors on this roster, who have now been through four changes in as many years. The only concern is that ASU must learn Harsin's offense quickly, well before the opener, and must find a comfort level in his system prior to the start of Sun Belt play. Defensively, retaining Thompson was Harsin's wisest move – because Harsin can now focus primarily on the offense while allowing the defense to retain a level of continuity.

The competition at quarterback is key, obviously. But you have to admire what the Red Wolves have elsewhere on offense: ASU's offensive line is terrific, the backfield explosive and the receiver corps fairly deep, especially if the underclassmen step up and bolster the top quartet. Defensively, ASU has the league's best line and speed to burn along the back seven. Yes, the position changes in the secondary are a touch worrisome. However, a solid pass rush and the senior leadership up front will help ASU slide four new faces into the starting lineup. In total, ASU should win six or more league games and make another trip to the postseason.

I'm picking Louisiana-Lafayette to win the Sun Belt for a simple reason: ULL feels a bit more secure on offense, while ASU does need to worry about the transitional period to a new system and a new starting quarterback. But the past two seasons have taught us something: ASU must be taken seriously as the best team in the SBC and a 10-win threat. Though projecting a very slight decline in the win column seems safe – down to eight wins in the regular season – don't sleep on the Red Wolves' ability to claim yet another conference title.

— Dream season: Once again, Arkansas State wins nine or more games in the regular season and claims another SBC crown.

— Nightmare season: The Red Wolves taste adversity for the first time since 2010, dropping three games in non-conference play and four against Sun Belt competition to finish shy of bowl eligibility.

— All-name team nominee: RB Sirgregory Thornton.

UP NEXT

— Who is No. 54? This team's defensive coordinator was once the head coach at a now-defunct FCS program.

125: Georgia State - Georgia State joins the Sun Belt Conference as the newest member of the Football Bowl Subdivision. The team is led by former Indiana State coach Trent Miles, who knows a thing or two about massive rebuilding projects, but the Panthers are several years away from competing for bowl eligibility. (Photo: Jim Avelis, AP)

124: Massachusetts - After going 1-11 in 2012, its first season in the Football Bowl Subdivision, UMass enters year two under Charley Molnar with little hope of any major improvement against another difficult schedule. The Minutemen are just a hair behind Akron for last place in the Mid-American Conference East Division. (Photo: Mark L. Baer, USA TODAY Sports)

123: Idaho - After being part of the since-disintegrated Western Athletic Conference, the Vandals will spend one season as a Football Bowl Subdivision independent before joining the Sun Belt Conference in 2014. It won’t be pretty: Idaho will play Northern Illinois, Fresno State, Mississippi and Florida State, among others. (Photo: Kyle Mills, AP)

122: South Alabama - The Jaguars went 2-11 as first-year members of the Sun Belt Conference in 2012, and that record won’t improve dramatically unless the offense fixes the missteps that defined last season. While coach Joey Jones has assembled some talent, South Alabama is still too inexperienced to be a real threat for more than three or four wins. (Photo: Mark Dolejs, USA TODAY Sports)

121: New Mexico State. Previous coach DeWayne Walker left on his own accord after compiling a 10-40 record from 2009-2012, taking an assistant position with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Jan. 24, less than two weeks before national signing day. Walker's replacement, Doug Martin, has two things Walker did not when he took over late in 2008: FBS coaching experience (seven seasons at Kent State) and experience in Las Cruces (2011 as the Aggies' offensive coordinator). (Photo: Jim Avelis, AP)

120: Akron - The Zips proved they could move the football last season, the program’s first under former Auburn coach Terry Bowden, but having a stronger offense didn’t prevent Akron from going 0-11 against Football Bowl Subdivision opposition. A year later, Akron remains far too undermanned to make any waves in the Mid-American Conference. (Photo: Robert Mayer, USA TODAY Sports)

119: Texas at San Antonio - The youngest program in college football, UTSA quickly moved from the Sun Belt Conference to Conference USA. The issue with such rapid growth is that it will force the Roadrunners to play beyond their years, and this team seems too inexperienced to handle the increased level of competition found in Conference USA. (Photo: Eric Gay, Associated Press)

118: Florida International - After spending several years building to the point where it could reach back-to-back bowl games, as Florida International did from 2010-11, FIU is back to square one under new coach Ron Turner. The Golden Panthers are entering the first stage of what should be a long and painful rebuilding project. (Photo: Robert Mayer, USA TODAY Sports)

117: Eastern Michigan - Eastern Michigan is again out to prove its 6-6 finish in 2011 – the program’s lone six-win season since 1995 – was not a fluke. That seemed to be the case last fall, when the Eagles stumbled back to 2-10, the program’s third 10-loss season in four tries under coach Ron English. Confidence is not high in Ypsilanti. (Photo: Rob Christy, USA TODAY Sports)

116: Memphis - The Tigers made some strides last season, winning four games under coach Justin Fuente, but will be tested by the tougher level of competition in the American Athletic Conference. While the program has clearly improved, 2013 should again find Memphis at the bottom of the conference standings. (Photo: Nelson Chenault, USA TODAY Sports)

115: Colorado - It can only get better than it was a year ago, if only because things couldn’t possibly get worse. Colorado begins a new era under former San Jose State coach Mike MacIntyre with full knowledge of the difficult road that lies ahead. At the very least, CU knows it is now pointed in the right direction. (Photo: David Zalubowski, AP)

114: UNLV. It's been 13 years since UNLV posted a winning season. The program is mired in a stretch of five seasons of 10 or more losses in the past seven years, with the last three coming under coach Bobby Hauck. (Photo: Bradley Leeb, USA TODAY Sports)

113: North Texas leaves the Sun Belt Conference to join Conference USA in 2013. Will a change in scenery lead to a change in the standings? The Mean Green have been better under coach Dan McCarney, winning nine games over the last two seasons, but this team won’t go anywhere unless it can find some much-needed explosiveness on offense. (Photo: Scott Sewell, USA TODAY Sports)

112: After nine seasons under Mike Price, UTEP welcomes back former assistant Sean Kugler as its new coach in 2013. Kugler has some weapons to work with, including a high-profile addition in Texas A,M transfer Jameill Showers at quarterback, but it will take time for him to reverse UTEP’s losing ways. (Photo: Rudy Gutierrez, AP)

111: Florida Atlantic -- The team's quest to bolster its fundraising coffers by offering up the naming rights to its new stadium hit a snag after the university student body and surrounding community quickly soured on a deal with GEO Group, a for-profit prison operator with a history of fines, investigations and violations. (Photo: Photo courtesy of Florida Atlantic University)

110: Illinois -- Bruised and battered Illinois lacks confidence, as one might expect after the Illini won only a single game against Football Bowl Subdivision opposition during the program's first season under former Toledo coach Tim Beckman. Illinois also lacks an offense, a defense and an identity. (Photo: Rudy Gutierrez, AP)

108: New Mexico -- Four wins is cause for celebration at New Mexico, which went 3-33 from 2009-11 but finished 4-9 in 2012, its first season under former Notre Dame coach Bob Davie. The Lobos may be stuck in neutral while Davie and his staff add talent and depth to a depleted roster, likely leading to another season with four or fewer wins, but the program has found a run-first formula to hang with stronger opponents during Mountain West Conference play. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

107: Colorado State -- This team enters year two of its rebuilding process under coach Jim McElwain, who learned a thing or two about building a winner as the former offensive coordinator under Nick Saban at Alabama. The Rams’ issues in 2013 circle around an offense that remains in flux while it acclimates itself into McElwain’s pro-style scheme. A tough schedule will send CSU to another losing season. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

106: Army. Army exceeded expectations once, in 2010, creating both a remarkably pleasing individual season while increasing the belief that the Cadets and coach Rich Ellerson could do so again. Unfortunately, Army has since slid back to successive losing seasons, with last year ending in a nightmare: Trailing by four points with little more than a minute left, the Cadets fumbled the ball away deep inside Navy territory to again lose to their academy rival. (Photo: Jim Avelis, AP)

105: Hawaii -- Former USC offensive coordinator Norm Chow has painfully reworked Hawaii’s offense away from a pass-happy system into his pro-style scheme. Results thus far have been decidedly mixed. For now, the Rainbow Warriors will continue to lean on a defense with some speed and talent on the edge while the offense finds its form with a new starting quarterback, junior Taylor Graham. Hawaii is at least one full season away from competing for a bowl bid. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

104: Texas State -- The Bobcats won four games last fall, the program’s first as a member of the Football Bowl Subdivision. This season finds Texas State in the Sun Belt Conference, an offensively prolific league that will test one of the nation’s worst defenses. But the Bobcats are very hopeful that FBS transfers like D.J. Yendrey and Mike Orakpo can give this defense some much-needed experience, production and aggressiveness. (Photo: L. Scott Mann AP)

103: Miami (Ohio) -- Miami has lost at least eight games in four of the last seasons and has been outscored in each of the last seven seasons, two facts that illustrate the RedHawks’ current rut. Will things change in 2013? Third-year coach Don Treadwell’s group faces holes at quarterback, running back and wide receiver, so the defense will need to carry the load against a fairly easy schedule should Miami look to reach the postseason. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

102: Central Michigan -- The Chippewas reached a bowl game last season by beating the bad teams on the schedule. Despite winning seven games, the gap between Central Michigan and MAC frontrunners like Northern Illinois, Toledo and Ball State remained immense. In terms of personnel, CMU needs to replace a multiple-year starter at quarterback and left tackle Eric Fisher, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

101: Kentucky -- Welcome to the new era of Kentucky football, revel in this new-car smell, because things have changed: Mark Stoops, the former defensive coordinator at Florida State, has altered the very way Kentucky views itself in the SEC pecking order. Not to mention Kentucky's own pecking order: The basketball team struggled this year, so there might be a power void at the top. Kentucky drew 50,831 fans to its spring game, or more than the Wildcats drew for any two home games from October on, judging by the pictures. Kentucky has reeled in more four-star recruits since December than at any point over the previous decade – combined, or just about. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

100: Boston College -- The Eagles have sat and watched as their consistency, a hallmark of the program for the first decade of the new millennium, has crumbled to become nonexistent. New Boston College coach Steve Addazio's first task will be remaking the Eagles' broken sense of self-worth. If not the easiest first step, at least Addazio can tackle the task without worrying about teams like USC, Florida State and Clemson, three of Boston College's opponents over the first half of 2013. Wins and losses matter less than player development. (Photo: Jim Cowser, USA TODAY Sports)

99: SMU -- Last year's team was better than its 7-6 record might indicate, particularly in terms of personnel. The Mustangs had a five-star transfer from Texas at quarterback, a two-time 1,000-yard rusher in the backfield, a 1,000-yard receiver, a strong defensive line, an outstanding linebacker corps and a ball-hawking secondary. Yet the Mustangs still failed to beat any opponent of consequence outside of Tulsa, going 1-5 during the regular season against eventual bowl teams. (Photo: Jim Cowser, USA TODAY Sports)

98: Western Michigan -- To properly understand where P.J. Fleck is coming from you need to sit down and watch him explain his new team's Nekton Mentality, Prefontaine Pace and Farmers' Alliance. These are things, real things, and to Fleck, they are what will separate Western Michigan from the rest of the MAC – actually, according to Fleck, they will ultimately separate the Broncos from the rest of college football. (Photo: Marilyn Indahl, USA TODAY Sports)

97: Troy -- Once a Sun Belt Conference power, Troy has ceded the top spot to conference rivals like Arkansas State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Western Kentucky and Louisiana-Lafayette over the last two seasons. Getting back to the postseason might be difficult: Troy returns only seven starters, the second-fewest of any team in the country, and lacks depth on each side of the ball. (Photo: Jim Brown, US Presswire)

96: Kansas -- The opening season in the Charlie Weis era at Kansas went poorly, with a 1-11 mark and a last-place finish in the Big 12. The five-year plan enters year two now: will it be baby steps, befitting Kansas' recent run as the nation's worst automatic-qualifying program, or will the Jayhawks break through the ceiling and challenge for a bowl berth in the brutal Big 12? (Photo: Mike DiNovo, US Presswire)

95: California -- Jeff Tedford, who coached California for the previous 11 seasons, is gone. In his place, former Louisiana coach Sonny Dykes is the latest offensive innovator to take the reins of a Pac-12 program since 2009. What does this say about California, Dykes and the North? It says that offense is in vogue throughout the division, helping present the Pac-12 as the flip-side to the SEC's defense-first mentality. (Photo: Kelley L Cox, USA TODAY Sports)

94: Rice -- Rice rode an explosive offense to a bowl game in 2012, defeating the Air Force Falcons in the Armed Forces Bowl. Can that explosive attack continue to help cover up a woeful defense (Rice has now allowed at least 48 points in a game 35 times since the start of the 2000 season) not only for this campaign, but beyond? (Photo: Tim Heitman, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 93: Washington State -- In their second year under coach Mike Leach, can the Cougars reverse their string of losing at least eight games in the last five seasons? Only one other Pac-12 school has suffered as many eight-loss seasons in a row: Oregon State lost eight or more games in each season from 1979-87. (Photo: Allen Henry, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 92: Connecticut -- As always, the Huskies are strong on defense but weak on offense. In the past six seasons, UConn quarterbacks have combined to throw 69 touchdowns against 72 interceptions while averaging 185.67 yards per game. Over the same span, the Huskies' defense has allowed 91 passing touchdowns against 97 interceptions while holding opposing quarterbacks to an average of 218.39 yards per game. (Photo: David Butler II, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 91: UAB -- The Blazers and second year head coach Garrick McGee are trending up, with young talent on both sides of the ball. However, despite their relatively weak conference, UAB looks to still be a year away from reaching a bowl game. (Photo: Marvin Gentry, US Presswire)

90: Wyoming -- The Cowboys have won 15 games in the past three years, with most coming in an eight-win finish in 2011. Three have come against Football Championship Subdivision competition. Three have come against Colorado State – a combined 10-26 since 2010. Of Wyoming's 15 wins since 2010, only three have come against winning teams: Toledo in 2010 and San Diego State and Air Force in 2011. Every other defeated opponent ended the season with seven or more losses. So what is Wyoming going to do when there are no more easy wins – when its MWC schedule is loaded with teams with realistic bowl hopes? (Photo: Brendan Maloney, US PRESSWIRE)

89: Purdue -- The Boilermakers have a new coach in Darrell Hazell, who won 11 games at Kent State last season with a unique system of steps that he is proud to call his own. In specific, Hazell's blueprint worked for Kent State. But his plan is universal: It'll work everywhere, whether we're talking Kent State, Purdue or Ohio State, should Hazell slide into the Buckeyes' plans at some point in the future. The Boilermakers will win with what they've got and feel good doing so. Just not from the start, perhaps. (Photo: Byron Hetzler, USA TODAY Sports)

88: Temple -- Temple went back into its past to nab a replacement for Boston College-bound Steve Addazio. It shied away from the years prior to 2006, when Al Golden stepped in and reversed the program's fate, and opted for one of Golden's chief lieutenants in ex-offensive coordinator Matt Rhule. Rhule's return spells a move back to Temple's recent glory days, when the offense was pro-style, the defense aggressive and the team worked as one cohesive unit. Those were good times. Rhule will bring 'em back. (Photo: Howard Smith, USA TODAY Sports)

87: Iowa State -- Never before has Iowa State football had this level of fan support. What's not to like? The fan base admires the work coach Paul Rhoads and his staff have put into creating a consistent Big 12 presence, albeit one that typically sneaks into bowl play with six wins, hovering along the league's bottom third. The typically undermanned Cyclones are overachievers, basically. But here's a question: Once you overachieve once, twice, three times, aren't you simply achieving? (Photo: Peter G. Aiken, USA TODAY Sports)

86: Duke -- Duke is looking to return to bowl play after winning six games in 2012. To do that and reach the postseason, Duke must find consistent play from new quarterback Anthony Boone. Duke will look to a more balanced offense to move the ball against ACC competition. (Photo: Mark Dolejs, USA TODAY Sports)

85: Kent State -- Led by electric running back Dri Archer, Kent State will try to stay at a high level of achievement after an 11-3 season despite losing their coach to Purdue in the offseason. Prior to last season, Kent State was the lone FBS program with roots in the 20th century with a career winning percentage below .400 – it stood at .388, to be precise. Prior to last season, Kent State had not won more than six games since 1987. Prior to last season, Kent State was mired in a run of 32 non-winning seasons in 34 years. Then, last season, The Flashes came within a whisper of the Bowl Championship Series, believe it or not, and would have been the underdog story to end all underdog stories. (Photo: Crystal LoGiudice, USA TODAY Sports)

84: Pittsburgh --Pitt's defense is good enough to carry this team. But to say that the Panthers can win six or more games without a strong offense would be misleading – and this offense has some major holes to address before getting started against Florida State in early September. (Photo: Tim Heitman, USA TODAY Sports)

83: Arkansas -- After a disastrous 2012 campaign following the summer departure of Bobby Petrino, the once-proud Razorbacks will try to get back in to bowl contention in the stacked Southeastern Conference. Coach Bret Bielema will bring a taste of the Big Ten to the SEC, turning Arkansas' finesse style into a punishing, physical team worthy of rolling in the mud with perennial powers like Alabama, Florida and LSU. (Photo: Jeff Blake, USA TODAY Sports)

82: Southern Mississippi -- After an 0-12 season, the Golden Eagles had no choice but to dismiss their coach and hire former Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Todd Monken to replace him. Like Larry Fedora before him, brings sterling offensive credentials to Hattiesburg. But unlike Johnson, who took over a 12-win team, Monken inherits a winless group struggling to relocate its confidence. USM can take some solace in the fact it can't get any worse. (Photo: Tim Heitman, USA TODAY Sports)

81: Syracuse - New coach Scott Shafer still has his hands full tutoring a fairly inexperienced team – the Orange return only 11 starters – in a new league, a more competitive ACC. (Photo: Rich Barnes, USA TODAY Sports)

80: South Florida -- Coming off a 3-9 season, USF hired Willie Taggart as head coach. South Florida is one of five American Athletic Conference holdovers from the old Big East, not counting Temple, which joined the Big East as the league entered its death throes in 2012. Of the five, USF joins Rutgers as the lone programs to have not reached the Bowl Championship Series. (Photo: Daniel Wallace, AP)

79: Middle Tennessee State --What team shows up in 2013? Perhaps the eight-win squad of 2012, or the 10-win team of 2009, or the bowl team of 2010. Or will it be the 10-loss team of 2011, as disappointing a non-automatically qualifying group in the country? (Photo: Kevin Liles, USA TODAY Sports)

78: Virginia --UVa has plus-talent at quarterback, running back, receiver and all throughout the defense, with the only issue for 2013 being that nearly every meaningful contributor stands a season away from a breakthrough. (Photo: Kevin Liles, USA TODAY Sports)

77: Minnesota --Think about this: Every year, Minnesota's quest for bowl eligibility goes through the Wolverines, Cornhuskers, Spartans, Wildcats and Hawkeyes – and sometimes, that quintet will be joined by Leaders Division teams like Wisconsin and Penn State. That'll happen sometimes. Like in 2013, for example. (Photo: Jesse Johnson, USA TODAY Sports)

75: Western Kentucky --There's a blindingly bright future at WKU, even if it's hard to predict just how long Petrino remains with the program before a win-hungry power comes calling. To get to the next level, however, Petrino needs to develop personnel on offense to fit his foolproof system. (Photo: Nathan Morgan/Daily News, AP)

74: Buffalo -- Coach Jeff Quinn has done a great job developing talent, as Buffalo won three of its last four games. The arrow is pointing up for this squad, which could reach a bowl game this year. The running game will continue to go through Branden Oliver (pictured), one of the MAC's best backs. (Photo: Nathan Morgan/Daily News, AP)

73. Indiana - The Hoosiers enter this season a confident group, having won four games under Kevin Wilson last fall. He has developed the team's offense into one of the most potent in the Big Ten. To take the next step, Indiana will need to build more depth on the defensive side. (Photo: Nathan Morgan/Daily News, AP)

72. Wake Forest: The Demon Deacons are loaded with seniors and several underclassmen set for larger roles. They should challenge for six wins with coach Jim Grobe thanks to a strong offense, which will be more run-based, and increased depth. (Photo: Chuck Burton, AP)

71. Houston: After 17 seasons with Conference USA, Houston joins the American. It hopes to rejoin the postseason after going 5-7 last season. Dave Piland must step up at quarterback and the defensive-line interior needs to be rebuilt. (Photo: Troy Taormina, USA TODAY Sports)

70. San Jose State: The Spartans won the Military Bowl last season, finishing an impressive campaign in which they went 11-2 and earned a national ranking in both polls. Even with one of the nation's best quarterbacks in David Fales (No.1), new coach Ron Caragher and his staff has their hands full fixing the defense. (Photo: Troy Taormina, USA TODAY Sports)

69. Iowa: The Hawkeyes look to rebound after going 4-8 a season ago. Coach Kirk Ferentz will have to find a new quarterback to replace replace James Vandenberg. Their postseason hopes will ride on a strong backfield and and offensive line. (Photo: Charlie Neibergall, AP)

67. Air Force: Are there negative signs? I'd say so. But are they reasons for concern? No, not really. Though Air Force has been trending downward the last two years – 13-13 combined since the start of the 2011 season – the Falcons have, to be fair, lost four games by single digits. It was only two years ago that Air Force scored 454 points, the fourth-highest total in school history – so the offense isn't broken. Likewise, the Falcons' 2011 defense ranked third in the Mountain West Conference in yards allowed per game. So what happened last season? The Falcons struggled. It happens. (Photo: Tim Heitman, USA TODAY Sports)

66. Maryland: The Terps enter Year 3 under Randy Edsall with serious bowl expectations. Maryland will have increased depth and will land markedly improved production at quarterback, with C.J. Brown (pictured) healthy. To ensure six wins, Maryland must address some personnel issues on the defensive side of the ball (Photo: Patrick Semansky, AP)

65. Louisiana-Monroe: ULM had its first breakthrough as a member of the FBS last season, winning eight games. The Warhawks return 17 starters altogether, with eight on offense (including dual-threat QB Kolton Browning) and nine on defense. ULM is easily one of the top three teams in the Sun Belt Conference and a bowl favorite. (Photo: Patrick Semansky, AP)

64. Mississippi State: The Bulldogs have reached three bowl games in a row under coach Dan Mullen. Last season ended poorly for the Bulldogs, with four losses in five games after a 7-0 start. To rebound, MSU needs to land more consistent quarterback play and replace two cornerbacks (Photo: Patrick Semansky, AP)

63. Louisiana Tech: After a nine win season that amazingly did not earn them a postseason bid, Louisiana Tech is aiming to keep up their success from last season behind a truly explosive offense. In order to get a BCS bid, which is a possibility if they play their cards right, they must hold serve against weak WAC opponents. (Photo: Soobum Im, USA TODAY Sports)

62. Tennessee: Tennessee was a few first downs, a third-down conversion, a fourth-down stop, a two-point conversion and an errant pass away from reaching bowl eligibility last fall, the program's third year under ex-coach Derek Dooley. But now Dooley is gone after he failed to make a Bowl game, and in his stead is hot new coach Butch Jones. (Photo: Randy Sartin, USA TODAY Sports)

61. Utah: Utah didn't bite off more than it could chew in joining the Pac-12, though the record might suggest otherwise: After going 33-6 in its final three years in the Mountain West Conference, Utah has slid to 13-12 in its new league – finishing outside of bowl eligibility last fall, a program-first since the pre-Urban Meyer period. The Utes have moved away from their winning tradition somewhat in recent years, but are looking to get back there on the back of a good offense. (Photo: Ron Chenoy, USA TODAY Sports)

60. Navy: Okay, so the Midshipmen beat Army again last season. There's a word for Navy's run of success in the chase for the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy: Domination. The Midshipmen have won eight of the past 10 trophies, losing out to Air Force in 2010 and 2011. Last season's sweep – wins against both Army and Air Force – marked the program's eighth double-dip since 2003. But the gap among the armed forces academies might be closing pretty quickly. Just don't tell these Midshipmen. (Photo: Danny Wild, USA TODAY Sports)

59: Utah State: Utah State came this close to a perfect regular season in 2012, as a missed field goal against BYU sunk their BCS chances. They lost their two games by a combined five points. Then there are the 11 wins, eight coming by 22 or more points. USU was quite easily one of college football's best teams of 2012, one separated from greater glory by only the slimmest of margins. (Photo: Douglas C. Pizac, USA TODAY Sports)

58. Missouri: The Tigers really struggled in their first season in the SEC, not making a bowl game for the first time since 2004. That's to be expected moving in to the most powerful conference in college football if you don't have a Heisman-winning quarterback, so we can cut Mizzou some slack. They will show improvement this season. (Photo: Dak Dillon, USA TODAY Sports)

57. West Virginia: West Virginia looks for a vastly improved defense to team with an offense that should remain among the Big 12's best despite changes at quarterback, wide receiver and offensive guard. The Mountaineers started 5-0 in 2012, rising as high as No. 4 in the polls, before losing six of eight to end the season. (Photo: Rob Christy, USA TODAY Sports)

56. Auburn - After a disastrous 3-9 (0-8 SEC) season, Auburn finally fired Gene Chizik and brought former offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn in to head the program. It was an amazing fall for the Tigers, who won a national championship and went undefeated in 2010-11. Now, Auburn must start virtually from scratch, but have brought in some talented recruits that may help ease the transition. (Photo: John Reed, USA TODAY Sports)

55. Arkansas State - The Red Wolves won the GoDaddy.com Bowl last year, but now have their fourth new head coach in the last four seasons. But ASU is at the front of the Sun Belt conference and should continue to make the postseason and win games once they get there. (Photo: Crystal LoGiudice, USA TODAY Sports)

54. Rutgers: Give Rutgers coach Kyle Flood credit for many things, including his nine-win debut as Greg Schiano's replacement, but let's focus on one achievement in particular: Flood and Rutgers have recruited as well as any team in the Big East – and the American Athletic Conference, now that it's 2013. They're not Louisville in terms of quality, but the Scarlet Knights will almost certainly make a bowl game. (Photo: Douglas Jones, USA TODAY Sports)

53. North Carolina State: After a seven-win season, the Wolfpack has a new coach in former Northern Illinois head man Dave Doeren. After some good results and bad results over the tenure of Tom O'Brien, the pack is ready to move away from average overall results and try and move to the top of the ACC. (Photo: Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports)

52. Bowling Green. Bowling Green: The Falcons’ defense will remain the best in the Mid-American Conference despite losing two all-conference starters. Bowling Green’s biggest concern is quarterback play, where senior Matt Schilz’s disappointing 2012 season has led coach Dave Clawson to create a quarterback competition. If the offense doesn’t improve, Bowling Green could top out at seven wins and a second-place finish in the East Division. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

51. Arizona: After a tremendous debut, coach Rich Rodriguez will need to cobble together an offense without last year’s starting quarterback and top receiver. While the offensive line and running game remain strong, Arizona’s defense is not to the point where it can slow down many opponents during Pac-12 play. The Wildcats will return to the postseason, but the team might struggle in September as it transitions to a new cast on offense. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)